Blackrock Mountain
Blackrock Mountain is a huge, volcanic mountain that rests on the border of the Burning Steppes and the Searing Gorge. It has been integral to the history of Azeroth, and has at various times been one of the most dangerous places in the world. History The volcano was first created at the end of the War of the Three Hammers when Thaurissan, ruler of the Dark Iron Dwarves, accidentally summoned Ragnaros from beneath the ground. The force of this tore asunder a section of the Redridge Mountains, creating the Searing Gorge and the Burning Steppes. Ragnaros enslaved the Dark Irons and forced them to construct tunnels in the mountain, building a sprawling underground city. The part of the mountain that is above ground soon came to be known as Blackrock Spire, while the vast cavernous underground parts of the mountain came to be called Blackrock Depths. During the First War, the Blackrock Clan of orcs took over much of the upper reaches of the mountain. Because of this, the mountain became the central headquarters of the Old Horde during the Second War. Towards the end of the Second War, the Assault on Blackrock Spire occurred -- one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles in Azeroth's history. At the end of the war, most of the orcs were put into internment camps by the Alliance of Lordaeron. Rend Blackhand and his brother Maim Blackhand, however, managed to remain free and set about freeing as many of their fellow orcs as they could, rebuilding the Blackrock Clan and the Black Tooth Grin Clan. They took up residence in Blackrock Mountain once again and thus began the Dark Horde. Two years later, the Horde of Draenor reopened the Dark Portal and Nefarion returned to Azeroth. He made his new home in the highest reaches of the mountain, and made the Dark Horde his servants. Thus began a brutal war inside the mountain. Ragnaros and the Dark Iron Dwarves made every effort to drive out the invading dragons and orcs. As an elemental lord, he also gained the allegiance of the Twilight's Hammer. An army of elemental beasts and dwarven constructs were at his command as well. Meanwhile, Nefarion had an army of orcs supplemented by trolls and ogres at his command, as well as his own creation the Chromatic Dragonflight. Both sought to destroy the other and construct an army that could given them control of all of Azeroth. Their plans and their battles ended swiftly, however, when the Heroes of Azeroth joined forces to defeat both of them. Nefarion was slain, and Ragnaros was banished back to the Firelands. Cataclysm When Deathwing broke loose from Deepholm and returned to Azeroth, he brought Nefarion back to life -- a twisted, undead dragon. Now allied with the Twilight Hammer and -- by extension -- Ragnaros, the mountain became ever more dangerous. Ragnaros planned to burn Mount Hyjal, and had reinforcements sent from Blackrock Mountain. Meanwhile, Nefarion created even more twisted experiments and plotted revenge against the adventurers who had slain him. Those adventurers, however, put a stop to both schemes but killing Nefarion again and destroying Ragnaros in Sulfuron Keep, within the Firelands. Iron Horde Incursion After Garrosh Hellscream changed history in an alternate timeline, and bridged the two parallel universes, he sent his Iron Horde to invade Azeroth. The Ironmarch Vanguard took over Blackrock Mountain and constructed a weapon to destroy Stormwind City. The Champions of Azeroth returned to the volcano once again and killed the leaders of the Ironmarch. Places The following places are found within Blackrock Mountain: * Blackrock Spire ** Lower Blackrock Spire ** Blackwing Lair ** Blackrock Caverns ** Blackwing Descent ** Upper Blackrock Spire * Blackrock Depths ** Molten Core * Molten Span ** Masonary ** Grinding Quarry ** Forgewright's Tomb Real World Blackrock Mountain appears in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tide of Darkness, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, and World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor. External Links * Wowpedia